Airman vaults to U.S. Olympic team

Photo By David Vergun | U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Cale Simmons competes in the preliminary round of the men's pole vault July 2, 2016, at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field, in Eugene, Oregon. He placed in the prelims and went on to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team during the finals, July 4, 2016.  

EUGENE, OR, UNITED STATES

07.02.2016

Story by David Vergun       

Defense Media Activity - Army   

EUGENE, Oregon (Army News Service) -- U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Cale Simmons, who cleared the bar at 5.65 meters in the men's pole vault finals, secured a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, July 4, here at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field.

Simmons came in second place, just behind U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Sam Kendricks, who won the men's pole vault, clearing the bar at 5.91 meters, and setting an Olympic trials record.

Last month in Denver, Simmons said he vaulted 5.72, which was his best ever, so he said he hopes to medal at the Olympics if he can beat that.

RIGOROUS TRAINING

Besides pole vaulting in high school in Sacramento, California, Simmons said he jumped at the Air Force Academy as well.

Simmons said his current training regimen includes heavy doses of sprints, some gymnastics, weight training, as well as plyometric and isometric exercises.

The Air Force, he said, provides a lot of good full-time training assistance, via the World Class Athlete Program, of which he is a part.

In his off time, Simmons said he enjoys rock climbing, sky diving and trampoline work. Although that's not part of his WCAP training program, he said he thinks it helps with body control and situational awareness. "I'd like to think they play a role."

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Simmons' identical twin brother, 1st Lt. Rob Simmons, is an Air Force C-17 pilot, stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina. He too is a pole vaulter and he too graduated from the Air Force Academy. They also have an older sister, Air Force Capt. Rachel Schaefer, stationed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, who is also a pole vaulter and she too graduated from the Air Force Academy.

Interestingly, Simmons said that although all of his siblings are in the Air Force and are pole vaulters, they are the first in their family to pole vault or serve in the Air Force. All were recruited by the academy to be pole vaulters, he added, although he's the only one that's currently doing it competitively.

LIVIING THE DREAM

"The Air Force has been great to me," Simmons said.

For his first two years, he said he was stationed in Germany as a contracting officer. Although there wasn't a pole-vaulting program there, Simmons said he had the most wonderful time of his life, seeing the sights of Europe during his off time.

Fortunately, he said the hiatus didn't seem to hurt his pole-vaulting abilities too much and he said that with some training, he snapped right back to being at the top of his game.

Serving in the Air Force, pole vaulting and being in the WCAP program is like "living the dream," he said. Simmons said he hopes that will last well beyond the Olympics.

The only thing sweeter than that would be for "my brother to fly me to Rio in his C-17 and drop me into the stadium," he added.

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• Date Taken: 07.02.2016
• Date Posted: 07.20.2016 10:33
• Story ID: 204461
• Location: EUGENE, OR, US